TURQUIE – Edremit - The ruins of a church in the northwestern province of Balıkesir’s Edremit district have been registered and taken under protection. The church, which dates back to 1,500 years ago and was discovered in 2011 during the construction of cooperation housing. Edremit Mayor Kamil Saka said the Güre neighborhood, where the church ruins are located, had been a village of Edremit in the past, and its history went back to the early ages. “In ancient ages, the village was named ‘Astrya’ and was famous for its spring waters. It was also home to a late Roman era hot spring, known as the Bath of Aphrodite. We will revive this historic church along with other ancient Edrmit artifacts,” said the mayor. Local Hasan Demir, who said that along with the church ruins, which were found in the Doymus Tepe field in Güre, some 700 meters away from the Aphrodite hot springs, there was also an ancient-era hot spring but it could not be unearthed because the Culture Ministry did not appropriate the necessary funds.

ROYAUME UNI – Old Scatness- A team of geophysicists will travel from Yorkshire to conduct surveys at Old Scatness and the Sands of Sound. At Old Scatness they will attempt to establish if the archaeological site is bigger than previously thought, while the focus of their work in Lerwick will be on a wall, possibly of Neolithic origin, that was unearthed due to coastal erosion earlier this year. Survey work is due to begin on Thursday and will last about a week. Old Scatness, was discovered in the 1970s during excavation work to extend the runway at Sumburgh Airport. The site contains settlements in the form of a broch and village, spanning at least 2000 years and ranging in age from Late Bronze Age to Iron Age. Amenity trust geology project officer Jim Henderson said there was some indirect evidence that the known site may be larger although the exact extent and nature remained unknown. The Leeds survey would target the potential extension. At the Sands of Sound much less is known about the recently discovered stonework and it is hoped that geophysics will help to delineate this settlement. Mr Henderson said: “Geophysical surveys are a great way to discover more. Not only, are they a lot quicker to conduct than excavating, they are also non-invasive. “In the particular case at Sands of Sound, any excavation could potentially destabilise the land and accelerate natural erosion.”

Ecosse – Cromarty - Archaeologists have unearthed evidence that a historic town in the Highlands was completely destroyed by a devastating fire. Experts working at a dig site in Cromarty now believe that “basically everything burned down” in the Royal Burgh between the 13th and 14th centuries. They do not know the exact cause of the blaze in the Black Isle community, but believe the excavation area was in a major industrial centre at the time. Tools have been discovered in recent days, including a 700-year-old spindle whorl, used for sewing, and a sharpening instrument from the same period.

USA – Calcium - Local history enthusiasts are reviewing Native American artifacts that they believe may date to the 15th century. Among the items found near Sanford Corners Road so far are ceramic debris, animal remains and stone tools, along with food pieces. “We think the things we’re finding right now are from within an Irouqoian long house,” said archaeologist Timothy J. Abel. “What we’re doing now is expanding on our investigation to confirm that suspicion.”

TURQUIE – Izmit - The city of İzmit in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, once one of the four biggest cities in the Roman Empire, has the potential to become a second Ephesus in Turkey, as 138 artifacts has been unearthed during excavations there since 2001. İzmit Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Adnan Zamburkan said the city was called Nicomedia in ancient ages, adding that Alexander the Great had lived in the region for some time and the city had been home to palaces, ceremonial grounds, gates and theaters. Zanburkan also said the region was known as a place of trade, and continued: “Later on, the archaeological artifacts were damaged by earthquakes. Seven earthquakes have occurred in İzmit’s history. This is why the archaeological artifacts have remained underground. During the current excavations, we are trying to unearth the ruins of Nicomedia. A total of 138 inlaid and relief artifacts have been unearthed so far since 2001 and they are on display.”